Young Samuel Johnson is in trouble. Not only is his eyesight so poor that he mistakenly asks out a letter box on a date, but an angry demon is seeking revenge for Samuel’s part in foiling the invasion of Earth by the forces of evil. It wants to get its claws on Samuel, and when Samuel and his faithful dachshund, Boswell, are pulled through a portal into the dark realm, the home of the Infernals, it gets its chance.

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Publisher's Summary

From New York Times best-selling author John Connolly, a wonderfully strange and brilliant novel about a boy, his dog, and their struggle to escape the wrath of demons.

Young Samuel Johnson is in trouble. Not only is his eyesight so poor that he mistakenly asks out a letter box on a date, but an angry demon is seeking revenge for Samuel’s part in foiling the invasion of Earth by the forces of evil. It wants to get its claws on Samuel, and when Samuel and his faithful dachshund, Boswell, are pulled through a portal into the dark realm, the home of the Infernals, it gets its chance.

But catching Samuel is not going to be easy, for the Infernals have not reckoned on the bravery and cleverness of a boy and his dog, or the loyalty of Samuel’s friend, the hapless demon Nurd, or the presence of two clueless policemen and the unlucky, if cheerfully optimistic, driver of an ice-cream van.

Most of all, no one has planned on the intervention of an unexpected band of little men, for Samuel and Boswell are not the only inhabitants of Earth who have found themselves in the underworld. If you thought demons were frightening, just wait until you meet Mr. Merryweather’s Elves.

This sequel to Connolly’s The Gates is another wonderful, clever and laugh out loud hilarious adventure. The style of the book with its humorous asides and clever footnotes is perfect for translation to audiobook, and Tim Gerard Reynold’s narration only makes it better.

Where does The Infernals rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I don't like to rank books, but The Infernals was entertaining and funny, and also made quite a few good points about how good and evil work (and don't work).

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Infernals?

The footnotes are well done.

What does Tim Gerard Reynolds bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Tim Gerard Reynolds is good with various voices and accents--all the characters are distinct.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed several times.

Any additional comments?

Samuel Johnson's tour of hell is just as instructive as Dante's, in a smaller way. The Infernals doesn't quite match The Gates for suspense and humor, but it was still fun and I look forward to Mr. Connolly's next book about Samuel Johnson & Boswell.

I relish the opportunity to listen to The Infernals again. The narrator was able to capture the entirely English sensibility of this book. The characters are quirky and easy to love. While probably written for a younger audience, say fourteen year olds, it is even better to listen to as an adult. It is multi-layered, like a Bugs Bunny cartoon. There's something for everyone. The explanation of quantum physics and multi-dimensionality is brilliant. Not that it matters much to our day to day lives, it is interesting nonetheless. The narrator was blasé without being patronizing. It's difficult to narrate a humorous story without sounding like a clown. Good show!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Infernals?

I don't want to give away anything, but Mrs. Abernathy is fabulous.

Have you listened to any of Tim Gerard Reynolds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I've not had the pleasure.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

And I have clearly missed the beginning. There have been several YA stories that I have enjoyed, so I'm frequently willing to give them a shot. This one is more aimed at the Percy Jackson age range than The Hunger Games or The Golden Compass series.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator did a good job with the material, for as long as I listened, but I'm not inclined to finish the book or the series.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Infernals?

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